There is only one Ismaili mosque functioning in the Tajik Autonomous District, in the district capital Tashkurgan, whose imam was appointed by the Chinese secular authorities. Xinjiang’s Ismaili community has no contact with Tajik Ismailis as there is not one checkpoint on the Chinese-Tajik border.
What countries do Ismailis live in?
Most Ismailis – also known also Nizari Ismailis – live in African and Asian countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Iran. There are also sizeable communities in the United States, Canada, and Britain.
Is Ismaili Sunni or Shia?
The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, generally known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia form one of the two major interpretations of Islam, the Sunni being the other. Throughout their 1,400 year history, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam.
Where do most Ismailis live?
Badakhshan, which includes parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan, is the only part of the world where Ismailis make up the majority of the population.
Who is the leader of the Khoja tribe?
The Khojas are an ethnic group in India and Pakistan, formerly a Hindu trading caste, founded in the fourteenth century by a famous saint, and followers of the Agha Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect.
Where does the name Khoja come from in India?
“Khoja” is the form used in India for the Persian term “Khwajah,” meaning “a rich or respectable man; a gentleman; an opulent merchant.”. Khojas are the major Muslim trading caste of western India. The Khojas of the Punjab are Sunni and are largely derived from the Hindu caste Khatri.
Who are the Khojas and what kind of religion are they?
Khojas are the major Muslim trading caste of western India. The Khojas of the Punjab are Sunni and are largely derived from the Hindu caste Khatri. The Khojas of Bombay, however, derive largely from the Hindu Lohana caste in Sind, and they are Shia and followers of the Agha Khan.